A True Gryffindor
by The Group of Five
Summary: Albus Dumbledore ponders what the Sorting Hat saw in a certain young man.


A True Gryffindor

**Note: My goal is to have at least one fic in every pairing in this fandom. I'd also like to say that in my mind, Percy didn't dislike Dumbledore until later in his life. Enjoy.**

Albus Dumbledore was an intelligent man. He may have been strange, or eccentric, but he still recognized a good mind. He was seated at his customary seat in the great hall, over looking all the tables, but his attention was focused on the Gryffindor table. He wasn't watching young Harry Potter, as many would suspect, but Percy Weasley.

Albus sighed and took a sip of juice, still watching Percy. He was a clever boy, no doubt, but he wasn't sure why he was in Gryffindor, rather than Ravenclaw, where a good mind was more valuable. Percy seemed too, uptight; too…tense for such a daring group of students. What had the Sorting Hat seen in Percy's mind the day he had been sorted?

He, of course, remembered the day clearly, just as he remembered all days, including the day of his own birth, (which is an entirely different story.) Percy had been one of the last to be called up, as his last name started with W. Percy had gone up the steps, looking slightly worried, yet his face was still haughty and arrogant. He had climbed onto the wooden stool with ease, since Percy was tall for his age, and had placed the filthy and patched hat on his head with a look of disdain. It had only taken the hat around a dozen seconds before Percy was sent of to his brothers with a joyful cry of "Gryffindor" still echoing in the ears of the faculty.

The hat must have seen something Albus hadn't, that much was obvious. _What_ the hat had seen was a bigger mystery to him. Albus hated not knowing things, it was something he was unaccustomed to, and so he decided to get to the bottom of it all.

* * *

It was after nine, and nearing ten, but Albus wasn't worried. He had told Minerva he had an urgent message for the 3rd Weasley, and Minerva knew not to disobey an order from the Headmaster, even if it did coincide with her usual schedule. Minerva reminded him slightly of Percy, actually. The both of them seemed uptight and boring. Albus knew that Minerva was brave though. He had fought alongside her 12 years ago, and she had proven her worth.

Suddenly, a knock on the door tore Albus from his reminiscing.

"Come in!" exclaimed Albus cheerfully. Percy stepped into the room, his horn rimmed glasses immaculate on his long freckled nose.

"My dear boy, come in, come in. Sherbet Lemon?" asked Albus, brandishing the tin, "Or tea, perhaps?"

"No headmaster, the sugar will keep me up all night, and I'm afraid I have a Charms test tomorrow morning," replied Percy, sitting down in front of the huge desk, "You had a message for me?"

"Why, yes I did, but don't you want some tea? The finest tea you'll ever have!" said Albus as he held out a magenta teacup. Percy glanced at the garish item, but took it from Albus in assent. Albus poured the steaming liquid into the cup, and then poured some into his own lime green one.

"Percy, is your school work going well?" asked Albus casually.

"Yes Headmaster, very well. I received an "O" on an Ancient Runes paper just today," replied Percy with some barely hidden pride in his voice. Was this Percy's Gryffindor trait? Pride? Albus doubted it. Everyone was proud at times, and after so many years of excellent grades, anyone would want recognition.

"How are you getting along with your housemates and brothers?" inquired Albus. Percy scowled slightly.

"My housemates have been teasing me, as always sir, but nothing I can't handle. Fred and George have been bothersome though, always insulting me for getting better marks," the 17 year old replied.

"That could be a nuisance," said Albus, seeing his opportunity, "Tell me, have they ever said anything cruel about whether or not you were a true Gryffindor?" Percy looked surprised.

"Why, yes they have. They don't understand why I don't play silly pranks on people; they think _that's_ what makes a true Gryffindor. I told them I didn't believe that was right,"

"And what you think is the mark of a Gryffindor?"

"Bravery of course, but playing childish pranks does not mean you're brave. It means you have no respect for the rules,"

"But then, your brothers do not think you're brave?"

"No, they think I'm a coward and a stiff," replied Percy, somewhat angrily.

"Well I don't believe that's true at all," said Albus, only half lying, "Do you believe you're a coward?"

"When I first came to Hogwarts, sir, I thought I wasn't. Bill and Charlie were so confident, so at ease about themselves. I wasn't like that. The Sorting Hat assured me that I deserved to be a Gryffindor, that I was just as good as my brothers, that I deserved to be in the same house as-" he stopped suddenly and blushed. Albus was intrigued.

"The same house as what, my boy?"

"The same house as the greatest wizard ever to have existed," said Percy, his blush deepening. Albus smiled slightly.

"The hat said that about me?"

"Uh…no sir. That was I who said that. I do think you're the best wizard ever, and I'm thankful to be learning under you," said Percy, who somehow managed to turn even redder at his last words.

"I meant to say… learning school work with you as the headmaster. An excellent opportunity," babbled Percy nervously.

"Thank you for that Percy. I only want the best for my students, especially ones with as much potential as you have," said Albus, watching Percy carefully. Percy practically glowed at that.

"I try my hardest sir, and-" he paused again, and rethought his words. "I meant to say, I try my best, I only want to please you-" Percy looked aghast at his words, and put his face in his hands.

"Percy, I'm afraid I didn't quite catch that, what did you say?" asked Albus, leaning forwards over the desk. Percy lifted his head and looked Albus in the eyes, his bright brown eyes nervous and determined.

"I just said that I'm only trying to please you, sir," and with that he also leant across the desk and kissed Albus squarely on the lips. Albus was shocked, to say the least. Reserved, uptight and rule following Percy had just started an illegal relationship. And yet, Albus was not unhappy with this turn of events. Percy was smart and sensible, and not an unattractive boy. His hair, while painfully neat, shared the same pretty red colour as the rest of his family. While altogether Percy was lanky, if one were to pay less attention to the lack of proportion, they could find his long limbs attractive. Percy pulled away, and looked into Albus's eyes again, this time to look for rejection. When he found none there, Percy stood up and positioned himself over Albus.

Albus remembered being 17. He remembered the kisses he shared with his classmates, how heated and passionate they were. Percy's kisses were not lacking these traits, but they contained something Albus's lust-filled make out sessions at a younger age hadn't. Percy obviously felt deep affection for Albus. It was apparent, in every aspect of the kiss. The way Percy's inexperience lips moved, softly, caressingly. It was tender and sweet, not hormone driven. Then again, Albus didn't suppose most teenagers were sexually attracted to him.

"Sir, are you sure we should be doing this?" asked Percy, who had obviously regained a bit of sense.

"Percy, I've had to conceal many things in my life, how would this be different?" Percy nodded and climbed onto the desk, kissing Albus once again. Albus carefully lifted his hand from where it was (on the lime-green teacup) and put it on the small of Percy's back. Percy pressed his forehead against Albus's, and then slowly lowered himself off the desk, onto Albus's lap.

Now, Albus hadn't been 17 for a while, but he still recognized the feel of a young man's erection, such as the one Percy was currently sporting. In addition, Albus could feel himself getting aroused. 'Well,' he thought to himself, 'I suppose I've stayed young there as well as in my mind.'

Percy smiled confidently now, and continued his assault on Albus's mouth. The kisses were getting clumsy and frantic; it was obvious that Percy had kept his infatuation under wraps for a long time. How long, Albus could only guess.

"Sir, you don't know how much I've wanted this," gasped Percy. Albus only smiled and kissed Percy's shoulder. Percy was bright, yes, but he knew little of what can be gained through years of experience. He slid his hand along the tense back; it was stressed from long hours spent pouring over thick library books. Albus then decided to take things a very small step forwards, and he placed his hand on Percy's behind.

"Sir," said Percy breathlessly, "I want-" but he was cut off by Albus's finger against his lips.

"Shh," said Albus, who squeezed Percy slightly with his other hand, which caused him to blush and giggle. 'Yes,' thought Albus, 'This will be a fun night.'

* * *

­­­­­­­­­­ 

It was 11:11 when Percy prepared to leave Dumbledore's office, pink and dishevelled. He began walking across the circular office, and stopped and turned around at the door.

"Sir? You asked me to come to your office" he blushed, glancing through blurry lenses at the mess he and the Headmaster had made, "You asked me here because you had a message for me. What was it?"

"Oh, nothing important, I just was making sure you remembered that the Head Boy and Head Girl meeting has been moved to next Tuesday," replied Albus casually.

"Oh, I haven't forgotten sir, you needn't worry,"

"I'm not worried Percy, not at all." Percy smiled slightly, and smoothed out his hair. He opened the heavy wooden door with some effort and the clicking of his glossy dress shoes was audible as he walked down the stone staircase. Albus listened until he heard the stone gargoyle slide shut, and then he turned towards where the Sorting Hat was placed on his shelf, in between a box of quills and a book entitled The Life and Times of Paul Channing.

"Well my old friend, I suppose you aren't losing your touch after all. That boy is certainly Gryffindor material," said Albus, hand combing his long white beard. The Sorting Hat remained silent, but wasn't surprised. He had a lot of experience in matters such as these, and Dumbledore didn't know nearly as much as he thought he did. 'It's just as well,' thought the Hat. 'If he were omnipotent, the school would be a dreadfully dull place.'


End file.
